Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms.



E. A. &l. V. CUNNIFF 81 K. LANNING.

WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS,

APPLICATION HLEDFEB. 4. 1914.

G8, Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

2 SHEETS SHEET I.

Edwwwd fl.

E. A. 61 .I. V. CUNNIFF & J. K. LANNING. WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. 1914.

11,239,086, PatentedSept. 4, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

rrn eras Paula onto.

EDWARD A. CUNN'IFF, OF NEW BEDFORD, JOHN V. CUNNIFF, OF FALL RIVER, AND JAMES K. LANN'ING, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS; SAID EDWARD A. GUNNIFF AND SAID JOHN V. CUNNIFF ASSIGNORS TO SAID JAMES K. LANNING.

WEFT-REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. d, 191?.

Application filed February 14, 1914. Serial No. 818,774.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD A. CUNNIFF, JoI-IN V. CUNNIFF, and JAMES K. LANNING, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of New Bedford and Fall River, in the county of Bristol, and Boston, in the county of Suffolk, all in the State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Weft-Replenishing Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to weft replenishing mechanism for looms.

In order that the principles of the invention may be readily understood, we have disclosed certain embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an end elevation, partially in section, representing one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on a larger scale of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 and representing the parts 7 differently positioned in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a detail showing a modification of a portion of the structure;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a transferrer representing a somewhat modified form of the invention;

Fig. 5 isa side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a still further modlfied form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view upon the line 88 of Fig. 6. p

This invention relates to weft replenish ing mechanism for looms and which is adapted for application to many existing types of looms and replenishing mechanism therefor. We have herein represented the same as applied to a loom and weft replenishing mechanism therefor shown in the patent to Northrop, No. 529,940, dated November 27, 1894, but it is to be distinctly understoodthat the invention is in no wise limited thereto, being applicable to various other types of looms.

In existing types of looms great breakage of the warp ends and large loss of material have occurred through the incorrect placing of weft carriers in the running shuttles. Because of the fact that the lay and its shuttle are very frequently not correctly allned or in register with the transferring means when replenishment occurs, the weft package, usually a bobbin, is positioned in accurately in the shuttle so that frequently one end of the carrier or bobbin projects above the upper surface of the shuttle, and when the shuttle is picked across the lay, said projecting end comes in contact with and breaks the warp ends, thus causing socalled smashes. Not infrequently said projecting end of the weft carrier comes in contact with a portion of the shuttle box or parts adjacent thereto, thus causing damage.

In orderto prevent this difficulty wehave provided means whereby automatically alinement or proper registry is produced with respect to the transferrer or portions of the replenishing mechanism with the shuttle in which the weft carrier is to be deposited.

Referring first to that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the frame of the loom is represented at 1, the lay sword at 2, the lay at 3, the shuttle box at 4, the binder at 5 and the running shuttle at 6. The stationary encircling part of the magazinc is represented at 7, it being supported upon the frame of the loom by a suitable foot or bracket 8. Within said stationary member 7 is positioned a rotary battery 9. These parts may be of any suitable type, but are herein represented as generally similar to those shown in the above referred to patent. Said battery 9 is provided with a series of weft carriers 10, preferably bobbins. In order to transfer the bobbins or weft carriers one at a time from the battery into the shuttle 6, we have in this type of the invention represented a transferrer, herein consisting of a pusher or hammer composed of relatively removable or telescoping members 11, 12. As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the member 11 is provided with a squared portion and also with a stud or projection 13 pivotally mounted upon the foot or bracket 8 and having fast thereto a depending arm 14 which is pivotally connected at 15 to a trip 16 notched at its active face 17 to engage a dagger 18 upon the lay upon. indication of filling 'replenislnnent. Such indication may occur in any suitable manner not herein necessary more fully to describe and upon substantial exhaustion or exhaustion to a predetermined extent or upon filling failure or breakage. Heretofore so far as we are aware, the pusher or hammer has been formed as a single piece having a fixed or predetermined movement.

In accordance with our invention, however, i

a opening 19. permitting relative movement of the'parts 11, 12, and therebetween we have positioned a coil spring 20, the function of which is to hold the member 12 in a normally distended or outward position, but so as to permit it to yield inwardly.

The outer end of the hammer or pusher is provided with a head 21, the under bobbin contacting face 22 whereof is recessed substantially as indicated in' Fig. 3, so as to receive the foot of the bobbin or weft carrier therein, and in the subsequent movement of the hammer or pusher to convey it into the shuttle. Said member 12 is preferably provided with a rod like extension 23 having a depending forked end 24 to engage the smaller end of the bobbin or carrier or weft carrier.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the upper portion 25 of the inner wall of the shuttle box is provided with a block or extension 26 secured thereto in any suitable manner or formed integrally therewith if desired. The edge of said block or piece that is adjacent the shuttle 6 is inclined or provided with a .tapered portion with which the head 21 of the pusher or hammer engages.- We have herein represented the said block 26 as having loosely mounted thereon a roll 27 whichpresents an inclined surface to the downwardly moving hammer head 21, but if desired said block may have a fixed inclined edge as indicated at 28 in Fig. 3

If the lay with its shuttle 6 be not in correct alinement or register with the descending hammer 21, then the edge of the hammer head will engage the roll 27 or inclined edge 28, and thereupon the member 12 will yield in the direction of the arrow, so as to compress the spring 20 and bring the weft carrier in accurate register with the shuttle so that it is properly positioned in the latter.

-.- It will be observed that this; automaticalinement or registration occurs, in. the present embodiment of the invention, after the carrier has been moved from its'position of rest in the magazine and before it has been deposited in the magazine.

This alinement of the transferrer with respect to the shuttle is automatic and occurs when the train of weft replenishing mechanism is put in operation and preferably the transferrer member is of such construction that it may be alined with the shuttle independently of the remaining portions of the replenishing mechanism.

In Figs. 4 and 5, we have represented a somewhat modified form of the invention wherein the transferrer member is indicated at 29, it being pivoted in any suitable manner at 30. At its outer end it is provided with a stud 31 upon the outer end whereof is loosely mounted a head 32 recessed as indicated at 33. The head 32 is provided with a depending portion 34 preferably having a recessed face 35 to engage the weft carrier.

Preferably also a rod like member 36 with forked lower end 37 isprovided to engage the tip portion of the bobbin or weft carrier.

Between the head 32 and the hammer body 29 is positioned a coil spring 38 secured to each of said parts and permitting the head 32 to rock upon its engagement with the roller 27 or inclined surface 28, so as thereby to bring the head 34 and the Weft carrier automatically into alinement with the shuttle.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8, we have shown still another form of the invention wherein the hammer or pusher is indicated at 39. This is pivoted at40 as previously described, but instead of so constructing the hammer that it engages the weft carrier, we provide an intermediate transferrer which itself engages the weft carrier and deposits it in the shuttle. For this purpose, we have represented the support of the replenishing mechanism as provided with a suitable bracket extension 41 provided with a clove tailed portion 42 whereon is mounted to slide a bracket 43 having therein a socket 44 wherein is mounted for reciprocating movement a substantially upright but somewhat inclined stud 45 which may have a laterally protruding guiding pin extending into a substanti ally upright slot in the wall of said socket, thereby to prevent rotative movement of said stud. Fast upon said stud is a transferrer 45 and between it and the socket 44 is a coil spring 47 normally holding the stud and transferrer elevated. is provided with a head 48 herein shown as having a recessed bobbin engaging face 49. The bracket extension. 42 and sliding bracket 43 are recessed as indicated in Fig. 8, the slidingbracket 43 having fixed thereon a stud 50 penetrating the bracket; extension 42 and having coiled thereabout a spring 51.

Said transferrer 1,239,086 fit Preferably the bracket extension 42 is provided with a stop 52 to limit return movement of the bracket 43.

The construction of parts is such that if the lay and its shuttle be not in proper register with the tra-nsferrer 48, the latter upon its downward movement will engage the roller 27 or inclined edge 28, and therefore said transferrer together with the bracket 48 and the stud are moved toward the left, viewingFigs. 6 and 8, sufliciently to bring the transferrer and its weft carrier into alinement with the shuttle.

lVe have herein represented means embodied in the roller 27 and inclined face 28 of the block 26 for effecting compensating or alining movement of the transferrer, but it is to be understood that any other suitable means for this purpose may be employed. Furthermore other types of transferrers may be employed, of which only certain embodiments are herein represented. We have herein represented simple forms of mechanism by means of which rectification of nonalining positions is brought about, but if desired and within the scope of the invention we may employ mechanism whereby not only the transferrer or a part thereof but other portions of the magazine or replenishing mechanism structure yield or moveso as to effect the alining movement. Instead therefore of employing a transferrer which has a yielding or compensating movement inde pendently of other parts of the transferrer mechanism, the transferrer mechanism itself or certain parts thereof may be movable as a whole to efiect alinement of the weft carrier with the shuttle in which it is to be positioned.

It will be observed that in the disclosed embodiment of the invention and preferably the weft replenishing mechanism including the transferrer is not mounted upon the lay. lWhile we prefer to employ replenishing mechanism having means to push the weft carrier into the shuttle, it is evident that other transferring means may be employed.

in those forms of the invention illustrated. the meansfor effecting the rectification of the transferrer is mounted upon the lay. Obviously, however, and within the scope of the invention, such means may be otherwise positioned, as upon a part moving in unison with the lay, thus removing from the lay the shock incident to rectification.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of our invention, we desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and deliner to discharge filling carriers from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, means to support said pusher or hammer with capacity to yield laterally of the shuttle box and its contained shuttle and alining means upon the lay positioned to co-act with said pusher or hammer for effecting alinement of the pusher or hammer and the shuttle upon the lay.

2. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a pusher or hammer to discharge filling carriers from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, means to impart fillingcarrier-transfer movement to said pusher or hammer, means permitting in and out movement thereof in a direction transverse to the direction of the filling-carrier-transfer movement, and means upon the lay to cause said in and out movement, and thereby to effect alinement of said pusher or hammer and the shuttle upon the lay.

3. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a pusher or hammer to discharge filling carriers from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, means to impart filling-carrier-transfer movement to said pusher or hammer supporting means for the pusher or hammer permitting movement to vary the effective length thereof means automatically and intermittently to elongate said pusher or hammer, and means upon the lay acting in opposition to said last-mentioned means.

4. A Weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a pusher or hammer to discharge filling carriers from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, means to impart filling-carrieutransfcr movement to said pusher or hammer, supporting means for the pusher or hammer permitting movement to vary the effective length thereof, and means automatically to vary the length thereof, and means upon the lay acting in opposition to said last-mentioned means.

5. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a pusher or hammer to discharge filling carriers from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, yielding means holding the pusher or hammer in extended position and permitting variation in the effective length thereof, and means upon the lay acting in opposition to said holding means.

6. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, supporting means for said device permitting movement thereof to vary its effective length, and

means upon the shuttle box and cooperatin g with said device automatically to vary the effective length of said device.

7. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a longitudinally extensible blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a of said device in the replenishing operation, thereby to effect alinement of said device and the shuttle in said box.

8. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, means to impart ejecting movement to said device in a plane transverse to the shuttle, yielding means permitting variation in the effective 7 length of said device and co-acting means to vary the'effective length of said device durin the forward movement of the lay.

9. ii weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, and means upon the lay and co-acting with said device automatically to compensate for variations in the location of the shuttle with respect to the path of movement of said device.

10. A weft replenshing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, spring means permitting variation in the efiective length of said device and means upon the lay to effect compression of said spring means, and thereby to effect alinement of said blowimparting device and the shuttle in said box.

11. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, spring means to impart sliding movement to said device and co-acting means upon the lay to effect alinement of said blow-imparting device and the shuttle in said box..

12. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine and a blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a shuttle in the box, said device having two members relatively movable with respect to each other along a substantially right line, and co-acting means to effect alinement of said blow-imparting device and the shuttle in said box.

13. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine and a blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a shuttle in the box, said device having two members relatively movable with respect to each other, yielding means to impart relative movement thereto, and means upon the lay to act upon said yielding means, and thereby toeffect rela tive movement of said members, and thereby to secure alinement of said blow-imparting device and thershuttlein said box.

14:. A weft replenishing -loom havinga,

shuttle box, amagazine, a pivoted blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a shuttle in the box, said device having two members one slidable upon the other, and a spring engaging the members to elongate the device.

15. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a pivoted blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a shuttle in the box, said device having two members one slidable upon the other, a spring engaging the members to elongate the device, and means adjacent a wall of the shuttle box to shorten the effective length of said device during the transfer movement.

16. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a pivoted blow imparting device to eject a filling carrier from the magazine into a shuttle in the box, said device being mounted to move in its ejecting movement in a plane transverse to the shuttle, and having two members one slidable upon the other, and a co-acting spring to impart relative movement to said members.

17. In weft replenishing looms, in combination with the lay, magazine, and weftreplenishment-indicating means a pusher to insert the new filling carrier, guiding means upon the lay for the pusher to effect alinement with the shuttle during the replenishing movement, and actuating means for the pusher, said actuating means embodying automatic devices adapted to permit said pusher to follow said guiding means responsibly to varying positions of the lay and its supported shuttle.

18. A weft replenishing loom having a lay, a magazine, weft-replenishment-indicating means, a shuttle receiver upon the lay, means for effecting transfer of a filling carrier from the magazine to the shuttle, means to permit variation in the effective length of said transfer means, and co-acting means upon the lay to effect varying movements of said transfer means in accord with varying positions of the lay during replenishment.

19. A weft replenishing loom having a lay, a magazine, weft-replenishment-indicating means, a shuttle receiver upon the lay, means for effecting transfer of a filling carrier from the magazine to the shuttle, means to permit variation in the effective length of said transfer means, and co-acting means upon the lay to aline the transfer means with the shuttle subsequent to initiation of movement of the transfer means,

20. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a pusher or hammer to discharge filling carriers from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, means to impart filling-carrieretransfer movement to said pusher or hammer, means to permit variation in .the effective length of said. pusher or hammer, and means upon the lay automatically to vary the length of said pusher or hammer, and thereby to effect alinement ofthe pusher or hammer and the shuttle in said box.

21. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a pusher or hammer to discharge filling carriers from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, yielding means to permit variation in the effective length of said pusher or hammer, and means cooperating with said yielding means to aline said pusher or hammer and said shuttle box during the forward beat of the lay.

22. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box, a magazine, a pusher or hammer to discharge filling carriers from the magazine in a shuttle in said box, yielding means to permit variation in the effective length of said pusher or hammer, and means cooperating with said yielding means upon the lay to efiect alinement of the pusher or hammer and said shuttle box.

23. In weft replenishing looms, in combination with the lay, magazine, and weftreplenishment-indicating means, a pusher to insert the new filling carrier, guiding means for the pusher to efi'ect alinement of the pusher with the shuttle during the replenishing movement, and actuating means for the pusher, said actuating means embodying automatic devices adapted to permit said pusher to follow said guiding means responsively to varying positions of the lay and its supported shuttle during both the forward and backward beats of the lay.

24:- In weft replenishing looms, in combination with the vibratory lay, a magazine with a pusher to carry the replenishing bobbin from said magazine to the shuttle, said pusher and magazine being operatively separated from the lay and its driving mechanism; supporting means for the pusher permitting movement to vary the efiective length of said pusher; actuating means for the pusher; and automatic means including means upon the lay, made operative by the weft-replenishing operation and adapted to aline the pusher in movement with the laysupported shuttle responsively to varying positions of the lay during filling replenishment during both the forward and backward beats of the lay.

25. A weft replenishing loom having a lay, a magazine, weft-replenishment-indicating means, a shuttle receiver upon the lay, means for effecting transfer of a filling carrier from the magazine to the shuttle, means to permit variation in the effective length of said transfer means, and co-acting means upon the lay to effect varying movements of said transfer means in accord with varying positions of the lay during both the forward and backward beats of the lay.

26. A weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box,.a magazine, a pusher or hammer to discharge filling carriers from the magazine into a shuttle in said box, means to impart filling carrier transfer movement to said pusher or hammer, means permitting variation in the effective length of said pusher or hammer, and means upon the lay automatically and intermittently to elongate said pusher or hammer.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD A. CUNNIFF. JOHN V. GUNNIFF. JAMES K. LANNING. Witnesses:

CHAS. S. RAMsAY, NICHOLAS I-IATI-IEWAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

